Changing Fate
by Ceara Ivory
Summary: The prophecy has come true and the hedgehogs are once again in power. However, not everyone is pleased by the outcome of the war and Sonia knows that she has to do something if she can. She opts to go back in time to try and stop whatever happened to make Robotnik into the monster they despised. Rated M just in case because I tend to just write without thinking so just in case.
1. Prologue

Changing Fate

A Sonic Underground Fanfiction written by Ceara Ivory

Prologue

Sonia always expected that freedom would feel so good. When Robotnik was finally gone, they would be free and happy and the people could begin life anew. She didn't expect the final battle to be as intense as it was. Their mother had taken point while they backed her up with their medallions and their music. In the end, the man lost. Ironically, by falling off of his own egg-shaped fortress. Her mother had tried to save him but to no avail. At last, the kingdom was free. He would terrorize them no longer.

However, the victory felt bittersweet as the pink hedgehog princess stood behind her fiance as he wept over a spot on a grassy knoll just outside his mansion. "I'm sorry Bartleby, I know you looked up to him." _Though I'll never understand why._

He turned around. "I appreciate you being here with me Sonia… Thank you for helping me when no one else would…" The blond mink wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry… it's just… someone should cry for the old man right?" He asked weakly.

She nodded as he wiped his eyes, obviously trying to stuff down the pain he felt. "You're not good at hiding your feelings my love. Don't… It's okay for you to hurt. I will never try to invalidate the respect you had for him."

"I tried to save him, Sonia. I tried to bring him back from the edge… The madness was just too strong…" Bartleby wept. "I never got… got to tell him… that he was… the best father anyone could ask for."

The statement socked Sonia in her gut. "Your father?" She asked him and he nodded.

"I guess it's safe to tell you now. He adopted me after my parents died." He explained. "He and my dad were best friends, as close as brothers…"

Sonia pulled away slowly. "Bartleby… oh Bartleby, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. If I had known… Well, I… I don't know what I could have done…"

He squeezed her hand. "I don't blame you my love. That's just… that's why I could never join you. I couldn't betray him when I was all he had left. Even Sleet and Dingo joined you guys at the end. Saving him was my job and I'm the one who failed."

Sonia couldn't say anything more as he sobbed. That explained it. She wondered if there was anything she could have done. Was there a point to wondering? All she could do was hold him and rub his back.

By the time he was out of tears to cry, he was exhausted and she helped him to his bed. She considered his pain. Was there anyway to fix this? "I'm going to make this right Bartleby. I'm going to find a way to help you heal."

* * *

She returned home to the palace that once again gleamed of gold and alabaster. Aleena smiled as her daughter came in. "You were gone a long time my dear. I hope everything is alright."

Sonia nodded. "Bartleby needed me. I couldn't make him do it alone…" She said, referring to burying their foe. "And he didn't have anyone else to help him."

Aleena nodded and hugged her. "You have such a big heart. I am glad you're back though. I've been talking to a few friends. It's time to thinking of the future. The people want to be assured of our continued line."

Sonia forced a smile. "Is it really the right time to think about that Mom. Bartleby and I need time before we're ready to…" She trailed off as her mother held up her hand.

"I'm not talking about Bartleby, my dear…." Her mother said with incredulity in her tone. "You don't think you're going to marry him now, do you?"

Sonia nodded. "Well yes. He is my fiancé. That never stopped. We kept our distance during the war but we never ended it."

Aleena sighed. "I'm sorry dear but it has to end. It's a doomed love. He'll simply grow to resent you. You must both choose to be adults now and end it."

She shook her head. "No, Mother. I won't end it. He won't grow to resent me. I love him and he's the one I choose. Can you handle that?" She said snidely as she stomped off to her room. She slammed the door. "The war is over, so why does she think she can tell me who I can and cannot marry? Like I would ever leave Bartleby when he needs me the most."

The room suddenly illuminated with a green light as a scaly-green anteater, shrouded in a black cloak appeared. "Princess, why so somber?" He asked with concern.

Sonia sighed. "Oracle… why… why did this happen?" She asked as she sat down on her plush bed that was ten times softer than the bed in the safe house, and a hundred times better than her bed in their camper. "I thought this was supposed to be a time of joy but I feel helpless. Bartleby is devastated and there's nothing I can do."

The Oracle patted her hand. "Well, that's… that's not strictly true. Unfortunately, what you could do… could easily make things worse if it went wrong." He said softly. She looked at him. "Do you remember the good Robotnik from when I sent you to that alternate reality?"

Sonia nodded. "Yes, I liked him. I could see how Bartleby could care for a man like that. He seemed like he would make a good father."

The Oracle nodded. "Robotnik used to be that good man. You see my dear, there are many different realities but they are almost all predicated on choices. If things had been just slightly different here, it would have happened as you saw it there. You and your brothers could easily have become tyrants yourselves."

The former freedom fighter nodded as she thought of the implications. "So something happened to make Robotnik choose to become an asshole. Bartleby called it madness. Can you use your magic to send someone back in time?"

"I can… however, you must understand the dangers. If we do this, you must know that you could ruin everything you now have." He explained. "Or you could even wipe yourself from existence."

She nodded. "What I need is something to guarantee that if I do this… I don't cause a temporal paradox. Something to tie this world with the changes. If I'm wiped from existence, very well. But if succeeding means there is a chance that everyone can be happy, then I'm all for trying."

The Oracle nodded. "I have a spell to avoid the complications of a paradox."

Sonia nodded. "First, I think I need to know the changes that need to be made first. Would you be able to send me back to that alternate reality first? That Robotnik must know what happened to turn our Robotnik into the monster he was."

"I think that is a good idea, Princess. Do you think you should tell anyone?" He asked curiously.

"No… Mother wouldn't approve. Sonic and Manic would want to come too but that's too dangerous." She said. "It has to be me. I have to do it myself."

The Oracle hugged her and conjured a pendant. "This will get you there and when you know what to do, think of where and when you need to be in order to accomplish it. I will pause things here and craft the spell to tie the outcome to this world."

Sonia smiled at him as she looked at the pink crystal that hung from the silver chain. "Thank you Oracle. I appreciate everything you've done." She hugged him once more. "If I fail, I'm sorry but I have to try."

He nodded. "Good luck Princess. If anyone can change the course of fate, it's you." He kissed her forehead in a fatherly manner.

Sonia nodded as she held the pendant, focusing on where she wanted to go and who she wanted to see when she got there. She closed her eyes and felt herself being pulled away from her present location. Her thoughts went to her brothers and her mother. _I'm sorry guys, but this is my mission…_

AN: Will Sonia be able to change fate to give all of them a happy ending? Review and favorite please. Though seriously, I would be happy for the review. Be brutal.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Sonia found herself in the caves of the snow globe. She remembered the tunnel by heart and when she entered, she was in the familiar sewers. After several minutes of walking, a bot floated over to her.

"Bzzt… Identify yourself… Bzz…" the floating round camera said to her excitedly as it struggled to stay up. "State your…. bzz… business…"

Sonia recognized the mark of the inventor and smiled. "Princess Sonia of the Other Mobius. Hey, Dr. it's me, the Other Sonia. You need to check on this one, it's failing. Should I bring it in with me?" She asked, expecting he'd be able to hear and respond.

A voice cut in over the speaker. "Oh, it's you. How good to see you. Yes, please bring it with you. I'm at the palace."

Sonia giggled and took the bot from the sky. She considered Robotnik working in the palace. It was amusing given the circumstances. She found him with her alter-ego, wearing a white dress very similar to her mother's. He was screwing a screw into an electrical device that was mounted to the wall. "There we are Your Highness, one newly patented fire-suppression system fully installed." He and the princess turned.

"Sonia!" The Princess squealed as she hugged her twin. "What brings you here? It's so good to see you."

The pink hedgehog shrugged. "I needed to talk to your Dr. Robotnik… It's about something rather important and I'm hoping that he can help me."

The doctor wiped his brow. "Call me Julian. If that helps to differentiate between us. Your Highness, if it pleases you, I will take my leave. I'll bill you." He said, bowing. "Come with me, dear. I'll make us some coffee and I have a nice coffee cake to go with it."

Sonia happily followed the man back to his home. It was a small house on the castle grounds. "I see things have greatly improved here. I'm so glad."

Julian smiled at her. "It was all thanks to you and your brothers. We couldn't have done it without you."

While he prepared the tray of pastry and coffee, Sonia looked around the small home. There was a small sitting room with a television set sitting above a fireplace that burned to heat the home. The sitting room opened to the left to the kitchenette and there was a small hallway. She saw photographs on the mantle and smiled, knowing she had the right idea. "So, um, who is…"

She started to ask before she heard a door open and close.

"Father, I heard you come in. How'd it go with the fire system?" A familiar voice asked as a familiar young mink appeared in the doorway. He wore his long golden hair in a ponytail and wore a pair of rubber gloves and an apron. "I've almost got… oh… hello, Princess." He bowed.

Sonia gaped at this world's version of her fiance. "Oh my goodness…" She felt a wave of emotion. This was him, except he was smiling and he was covered with oil and soot.

Julian saw her expression and nodded. "This is my son, Bartleby. He was finally able to come home with the war over. He just happened to start college at the time it started too." He grinned

slyly.

"He means he sent me to college in Acorn so that I wouldn't get involved in the war." The mink laughed. "But she knows that Father…."

The good doctor laughed and grabbed a third coffee cup. "This isn't the princess. Not quite. This is one of the three who helped us to win the war. She is from an alternate reality where, if you can believe it, I'm the villain." He chuckled.

Bartleby rolled his eyes. "As if you could ever be a villain, Father. Though you do have the mustache for it." He jibed.

Robotnik laughed and smacked him playfully. "Go get changed out of your work things and join us for coffee." He instructed him. He smiled at Sonia. "Let me guess, you know him in your reality."

Sonia nodded with a smile and pulled a chain from under her red tank top and handed it to him. Hanging from the chain was a beautiful diamond ring with tear-shaped rubies surrounding it like a flower. "Recognize this?"

Robotnik looked at it and nodded. "Belonged to his mother… So, you are the one he has chosen in your world. But I know that in that world, my other self is your enemy. Is he still my son there?"

"He is your son... He's actually why I'm here. Our war is over. We won." Sonia looked down sadly.

"Well, congratulations on your victory but why doesn't it bring you greater happiness? What happened, my dear?" Julian asked.

Sonia sighed and nodded. "Bartleby and I were engaged when the war began. My mother wanted me to break it off but all I could bring myself to do was tell him we had to postpone the wedding and keep our love a secret… My brothers don't like him because he grew up as a wealthy noble with all of the behaviors that go with it. But I didn't know that you were his father until it was too late." She told him the details of their victory and the outcome. "I didn't know. If I had known I would have fought harder to save him while still saving the city. Now my Bartleby is just devastated. I love him sir and it kills me to see him blaming himself."

Julian thought about it. He looked up as Bartleby returned. "So how can I help?" He asked curiously.

Sonia looked at the ring. "I want to fix things. My friend, the Oracle of Delphius, can send me back into the past to fix whatever happened to turn you from this great guy into the monster I knew."

The old man thought about it. "Well, it almost seems as though what we need to find is the element in his history that was different mine. For example, our war only began three years ago. Bartleby was already going to college. But if I recall, your war started when you just a baby."

Sonia nodded. "Yes, and it was Robotnik who started our war. He stole the crown from mother and made us outlaws. The Oracle told her of a prophecy that we would reunite and form the Council of Four to defeat him. She separated us and gave us each to different caregivers. She gave me to Lady Wyndemere and that's how I met my Bartleby." She smiled at the other Bartleby. "But he never told me…"

Robotnik thought about the matter. "What about Maria?" He asked her curiously, his eyebrows crooked.

"Who's she?" Sonia asked. Maria was a new name and possibly a clue.

"My wife… Maria." Robotnik pulled out a photograph of a young woman. "She was the sister of my closest friend, Albern Montclair. Bartleby's biological father."

Sonia looked at the photograph. "Now I have never heard of her. But my Bartleby did say that you and his father were as close as brothers. What happened to her? Here?"

"She died not long before the war started. In childbirth. We had been trying for years and finally… but..." The man looked down. Sonia touched his hand gently, in sympathy. "But there wasn't time to grieve. Soon your counterparts had taken their tyranny too far and I was forced into the fray… But I think of Maria and our child everyday…"

"Mama Maria was great, I miss her so much. She would read me stories when I was little and even after I entered high school, we always found time to read together." Bartleby said with a smile. "And I would have loved to be a big brother."

Sonia thought about it. "Did I or… I mean the Princess ever meet your Bartleby?" She asked. "Before the war?"

Bartleby laughed. "As if I would ever have been given that chance. All they cared about was my money. That's okay. With Father's guidance, I can make my fortune. Though we are friends now. I doubt we'll ever the relationship you have with this other me. I'm just a grubby mechanic."

She giggled. "Maybe not but… if you're interested, you should ask her out. What's wrong with a

mechanic?" She asked.

"That's what I say." Julian agreed. "He's one of the best too. He has a special touch with combustible engines. He even got an ancient vehicle from the human days running. They called it a Harley... The princess could do much worse."

Sonia nodded. "I'd say she be pretty lucky. I know I feel lucky. But it sounds as though Maria was alive for several years. But she's not even mentioned in my world. How close were the two of you?"

The man smiled as his mind reminisced. "Very close… We were very much in love. We met when we were children. The Lord Montclair at that time took me in after my parents died. There were no other humans. I am the only one left. I'm okay with that though… we have a good run and Maria loved me despite that. She always said she wanted to help me restore humanity. She thought it could be done and wanted to help me with that."

Sonia nodded. "What happened to Bartleby's biological parents?" She knew she was getting closer to her answers.

Julian looked out the window as Bartleby drew closer to his father. "The mansion was robbed one night… bandits seeking a huge payday. I was in my workshop. Maria had brought Bartleby to see the workshop that day. When we got home, the mansion was ablaze and they were dead."

Sonia put the pieces together. "What if… what if in my world… what if Maria had been there when the bandits attacked. Suppose somehow only you and Bartleby survived… That would explain so much. And if they were killed together then it was only him and Bartleby. So he never had someone his age he could confide in. He never acknowledged Bartleby publicly as his son and only really used him for his inheritance. But Bartleby still loved him."

"I still have trouble believing that he was a villain in your world at all. He's a great man, a great dad. He taught me everything I know." Bartleby said while Julian puffed up with pride.

Julian nodded. "The Montclairs were the only real family I had. Albern was my brother in every way except blood. I had Maria to help me with that loss and learning how to care for a child. I suppose if I had lost her as well… Perhaps I wouldn't have been able to endure it so well."

Sonia nodded. "I feel like she's the key. So if I go back, maybe tell her to go visit the workshop… maybe tell them all to go visit the workshop. Or maybe I could stop the bandits."

He considered it. "Be careful though. I'm sure you know the possible consequences of messing with the past."

She nodded. "I know… I could make things worse… But it would make him happy to have him back somehow…"

"Very well. Is there anything more I can do to help? Any other questions that you have?" Julian asked her.

She shook his head. "No, but thank you so much for letting me ask such personal questions. I love my Bartleby so much. I would do anything for him."

He nodded. "I only hope that the information I was able to give was enough. He and I sound like very different people, so there could be any number of variables at play here." They stood and Sonia helped him clear the coffee tray.

Bartleby picked up a toolbox. "It was nice meeting you. Good luck on your mission." He said as she left. "So… Father… do you think she's right? Should I ask her out?"

Julian chuckled. "I'd say it's worth a try son. What's the worst that can happen?" He said logically. "I know she's been very insistent on choosing her husband for herself recently."

* * *

Sonia held the pink crystal pendant as she left the small home, focusing on the past, on Maria and the Montclair Family. The crystal glowed briefly and she was whisked from the alternate world.

AN: Will Sonia be able to save Maria? Will that be enough to stop Robotnik from becoming a villain?


End file.
